Only son of Akaji Moriyama, guard of honor to the royal Jin family, I was raised from my birth in the temple of Asami, God of wisdom and warfare. Legend says that one man, the prophet himself, built the temple in three days! No one knows whether the story is true or false, but one thing is sure, in its walls the bravest, strongest and wisest of men are taught the ancient arts of Asami. It serves as a place of contemplation for many and training grounds for few. Only the elite are entitled to be part of this sacred order, and their role is simple to describe but hard to live. They must protect the Emperor’s physical and spiritual persona together with the preservation of the empire and it’s people. The Emperor represents the Gods, He is their messenger, but the carrier sometimes needs the guidance, thus the mighty Asami imparted the arts to the humans in order to council their voice and interpret their tongue.

We are called the Gudai (demon in the body of man), because we, the chosen ones, are granted the greatest gift of all. When we reach a state of perfection, bearing the limits of the flesh, we undergo a ceremony whereby our spirit is elevated from the mortal lands and travels to the lands of the sacred demons. The risks are high, the spirit of the candidate can be devoured by the immensity of the divine dimension, but the reward is very high. If the spirit is not lost and manages to keep its focus, the demons of Asami, the Tengu, will test its will and determination. If successful, then the Tengu himself will travel back with the student and become part of him. No more man, but Gudai. His eyes will see things that no man can; his mind, body and spirit are one. The Gudai is respected as a man of God, with an unequivocal sign that marks him for life. A tattoo of a closed eye is imprinted on his forehead after the Tengu reaches his body. The eye opens when the Tengu is at work. The Gudai are taught that reality is just the way one perceives life, it is not fixed, it is flexible as water, always flowing without one particular form. Thus, together with the Tengu, we can alter this same reality we live in and make it ours.

Depicted in the inner sanctorum of this holy building, is the legend of the Getengu, the one man that will reach the state of Tengu while still retaining a physical body and consciousness. The Tengu needs a body to roam the land of the mortals, and thus a pact is sealed with the host where Tengu and human travel in the same body. This is what happens with the Gudai, but also to evil and thwarted men (and women alike) who will pledge the help of chaos demons. But the Getengu is something completely different, because whilst the Tengu will lose the majority of its powers when leaving the holy dimension, the Getengu retains everything; a demigod in the world of mortals to restore the balance.

No more man, but Gudai

One week later, I awake, finding myself lying on the holy altar overflowing with petals of white roses. The stone bed, so cold to the touch, fills my heart with warmth; on this same slab, the prophet prayed the Gods. The large and circular room is deserted, I turn my head and look around me…I’m still kind of dizzy.
“Master Shinzo, where are you?”

No answer. This is the same chamber where the ceremony was being celebrated, deep inside the temple of Asami high up in the White Mountains.
“I feel like I slept for ages…what happened, where are the others?”

I can remember the familiar voices of my teachers and the Gudaiso (high priest of the Asami temple and chief councilor to the Emperor) himself, Master Shinzo. They were all praying for my safe return to the mortal land and to be accepted by the Tengu. I also recall feeling very light and levitating into a state of outmost serenity. Yes…the journey, I must have traveled to the land of the holy demons. The test…oh it’s all so hazy!
“Moriyama Sakaji” a voiced boomed across the entire chamber.

“Who is this?” With the agility of a puma, I was on my feet in less then a second; katana still sheathed in my hand. Already in my defensive stance, I slowly walk around the altar, trying to sense the origin of the voice. Something tells me that I should know this voice…

“Do not worry Sakaji son of Akaji…or should I call you Gudai?” the voice was getting stronger and closer with each uttered word. “You will lose your way, but only to find it again in the land of the golden phoenix. And when the weeping princess will finally smile, the Getengu will live again. And balance shall be restored in the name of Asami.” With the uttering of the God’s name, the chamber glowed as if it was the origin of a burning sun, blinding my eyes and blowing my mind away.

“Argh!” screaming with pain, I yet again find myself on top of the altar, this time surrounded by a group of shocked monks. My forehead is still burning, but surprisingly enough it’s not pain that I feel, but a kind of piece of mind and awareness that I never suspected I could ever experience.

“Welcome back Gudai Sakaji Moriyama” was the greeting of Master Shinzo. With a warm smile, he hugged me like a proud father would do to his only son. I have made it. I am Gudai.

Tengu never told me what the voice meant, just before my awakening to a Gudai. Something he told me…it’s meaning is linked with my destiny!

Leaving the monastery

It was my 25th spring when the day finally came where I could serve the Emperor with what I had learned in these years of hard training. I gave my last regards to the other priests of the temple and made my way to retrieve my few possessions from the cell I slept and also wept in. I recall when still at a tender age, my father offered me to the mighty Asami and from that day, life for me was a never-ending series of constant physical, mental and spiritual trials.
It was a tiny room with a mere hole as the only window to the outside world. A thin ray of light hit upon my sword, which was resting on my ragged bed. To a stranger’s eye this chamber was like a prison, but for me it was like my personal temple and place of meditation.

Sitting on the bed, I looked at my faithful sword, a friend of a million battles. “This time, it is for real,” I said to myself while unsheathing the shining katana. My father left it with me on that day when I first saw this monastery for the first time. I was considered by many, the best swordsman that ever entered the temple…”You’ll always find somebody better then you, so be always very cautious and never expose yourself too much,” were always the wise words of Master Shinzo.

A back bag was already packed and ready for travel, so after I sheathed the sword, I took one last glance at the room and left for good. My long black hair was all braided with tiny gold and silver chains. Adepts to the temple are completely shaved when they start their training, the closer to their goal, the longer the hair; it symbolized our hierarchy. I was quite tallish, considering that the average height was 5’5’’. A very conditioned and athletic body showed 5’8’’ of pure muscle. Dark green eyes watching and studying everything that was going around me, every little movement was noted and evaluated. Nothing was overlooked, every possibility examined. Strategy was something I never lacked.

As I crossed the sparring grounds, the adepts immediately stopped, turning around, bowing in admiration and respect. Tengu opened its eye to their minds, so they could feel the peace I was in. “Asami bless you my brothers,” I finally said and continued towards the golden doors of the temple. On them was depicted the phoenix, symbol of Asami.

Master Shinzo was waiting for me outside of the temple, together with ten royal guards and a carriage pulled by two mountain horses. These were his personal guard granted to him by the Emperor himself. More of a symbolic gesture, the Gudaiso could beat all of them single handedly, both eyes closed and with a broken leg!

“Honor and respect to Asami, Gudai Sakaji,” said the older man, with gray hair reaching to his knees. Mine reached till my shoulders!

“Always and forever, Gudaiso Shinzo,” I replied while bowing to my mentor.

He offered me his hand to get into the carriage and I followed.

I could finally meet my parents again; my father was now some sort of high-ranking official in the royal guard.

The trip was a quiet one, Master Shinzo explained me the current state of affairs and my immediate task. My first duty was to become aware of the castle and people working there, getting a feel of their habits, strong points and also weaknesses. Anyone could be a spy or assassin, so we had to be very careful on whom we trusted.

And finally, after descending from the mountains, there it was in its entire splendor, Osijama, the heart of the Jin Empire.

While passing through the streets of the city, people cheered me; it felt strange but good at the same time. I thought that with Asami’s blessing, I could handle any situation. Soon enough I would discover that nothing prepares you enough from that vile monster called treason, especially when this takes the form of someone you respect, and I dare say…love!

At the end of the charade, we arrived at the castle gates. On the left side of the metal gate, was depicted the Jin’s crest, a serpent in the jaws of a mountain lion. Situated on the other side, was Asami’s symbol, the golden phoenix. The gate guards saluted the Emperor’s councilor and opened both doors. This was all new for me, but I was ready to face anything, it was my destiny.

At the end of the path leading to the castle main doors, a woman was waiting for us. “Raiji!” Yes, she was the only female apprentice who managed to become Gudai. I remember her very well; we used to walk together in the temple’s garden talking about how lucky we were to be studying the ways of the omniscient Asami. She was the most beautiful woman I ever saw, although to be honest, the range of choice wasn’t much, considering that the only females I saw were the few old haggard women who used to pray at the temple. Master Shinzo smirked when he saw me dazed by the girl. As casual as someone who had his face redder then the center of an erupting volcano, I gathered my usual posture, and said “Master Shinzo…Is Raiji stationed at the castle?” He smiled back at me and answered, “Oh yes my son, she has just returned from a trip to visit the Queen’s only sister, Raiji’s mother. You two will work together, she’ll introduce you to the castle and it’s people after we pay homage to the Emperor, may Asami bless his soul.”

“Yes Master,” I replied happily.

The Gudaiso’s expression changed as the weather does from spring to autumn and added “Be sure not to confuse your emotions with your mind. Always remember that your primary objective is to serve the Emperor, other things are only secondary.” Seeing my disappointment, he gave me his warm fatherly look again, “However I never told you to stop being a man!” and winked at me. It was the first time that I saw Master Shinzo joking; the holy man was full of surprises.

From that day on, Raiji and I trained, traveled and fought all kinds of evil together. We supported each other in all occasions. I trusted in her, accepted her words for truth, and I would have given my life for her without a thought. She was more then a Gudai for me, more then a friend, she was…my only true love! I never showed her my emotions, and never dared to question Tengu about her feelings although something about her way of talking and look in her eyes made me believe that she felt the same way I did. The Tengu that dwelled in my body, knew everything about my thoughts and feelings, I could never hide anything from my spiritual guide.

In search for Raiji

After five years of successfully complying with the Emperor’s wishes and observing Master Shinzo’s wise instructions, I was entrusted with the task to accompany his lordship Akiro Jin, the Emperor’s only son and heir to the Jin empire, in his first diplomatic visit to his uncle, Kenju Jin, the Sajaku (governor) of the Eastern side of the continent. The hot summer had just given way to a more refreshing autumn, ideal for traveling.

With the Emperor’s blessing, Master Shinzo had just appointed me as his successor. I felt very honored to receive such a title and heartily accepted my new responsibilities. Although by now, I should have been a happy man, something still bothered me. I could recognize my childhood friend in Raiji no longer. Her determination still prevailed, but her gentleness gave way to a hitherto unsuspected aggression and harshness. Initially I blamed her behavior to my new title, considering that she had been Gudai before me. But I remember that she was in favor of me receiving the title before it had been proposed. No, it was more than hurt feelings; her attitude was becoming more and more heartless and cold-blooded. I can only blame myself, now, for discounting the change that was perceptibly occurring within my beloved.
I did then the fatal mistake of leaving this matter for discussion for a later date. ‘After we return from the journey to meet his lordship Kenju Jin,’ I thought to myself.

The travelling party was setup having a carriage where the Prince, Raiji and I stayed, and a group of ten elite royal guards on horses.

With me, as usual, I had my faithful katana, a bow of very good quality, a quiver of arrows, an extra set of clothes tied inside my traveling bag, a thin dagger hidden in my coat, cleaning material both for myself and the sword, material for making arrows, survival equipment to prepare medicines if needed, some useful herbs, flint and stone, a piece of rope and hook strapped to the bag, food utensils, a prayer book, writing material, a letter from Master Shinzo to Gudai Kayo Hataru (weapon’s master of Kenju Jin), water skin and a bedroll.

The Chronicles

• Regained consciousness after being poisoned. Found all the guards massacred. Couldn’t find or sense in the vicinity neither Raiji’s nor the Emperor’s son’s body. Called upon myself Tengu’s power to search for Raiji. I somehow knew she wasn’t dead…not too sure about the prince!

• Running at full speed and without resting, I followed a weak trail of her journey leading to a monastery…the walls were very high and smooth. I could distinctly feel an enormous gathering of energy coming from the temple. I called again on Tengu to shift the reality and mold stone stairs out of the wall. Swiftly, I climbed the rocky stairs and entered the temple to find all the priests dead. All the bodies seemed to have been killed with just one slash! These hadn’t been ordinary men, but followers of Asami; they had known how to defend themselves! The energy source was getting stronger with every step I took towards the inner chamber.

• Instead of kneeling in prayer in front of the statue of the golden phoenix, the priests lay lifeless and broken on the floor. In the big and round chamber’s center, seething ball of pure energy was slightly dissipating…Tengu showed me clearly that Raiji had walked through this portal. I had no other choice but to follow her, wherever this might have led me. So I did. Tengu guided me through the darkness until we finally emerged into a very dense forest.

• Keith: In front of me there was a very tall man in a strange yellow garb that looked like a coat but had what looked like pouches sewn onto it. He also wore a strange looking hat. He was pointing a metal contraption at me with his right hand. His other hand was clenched around something that emitted a small bluish flame, which he held aloft to throw it’s light as far across the area as it could reach.

• Marvin: Almost as tall as the first one, this man had long black hair tied back behind his head. He wore a small beard and mustache. The color of his skin indicated that he had spent most of his life in the sun. (Why not wearing a hat then?) He wore a strange leather jacket, layered and angular. He was also pointing a long hollow rod at me. On his left hip, a sword of familiar construction was strapped to his belt. A bow and a quiver of arrows were slung on his back.

To be continued…